Candidates in North Somerset [Region: South West]
Dr Liam Fox
1. How important is the charity and voluntary sector to your constituency?
The voluntary sector is a key partner in our mission to strengthen society and work together to tackle some of the most stubborn social problems. We believe that voluntary groups and charities have a vital role to play in tackling social problems and fixing our broken society. A stronger, more independent voluntary sector is a key pillar of the stronger society which we are determined to develop.
2. What efforts will you make - if elected - to work with local charities and voluntary sector organisations in your constituency?
We need to improve the resilience and independence of charities and voluntary groups because they are part of the glue which holds communities together. A robustly independent voluntary sector is a key pillar of the stronger society we want to develop. To make it easier for people to volunteer and easier for charities to process applications from volunteers, a Conservative government would overhauol the bureaucratic and inefficient system for checking criminal records. To cut the bureaucratic burden on smaller charities and ensure less money is wasted on red tape, we would reform the Gift AId system of tax-free charitable giving. To help more needy groups benefit from voluntary sector expertise, we would let voluntary groups play a major role in running local services like Sure Start. To encourage more people to dedicate time to charity work, we would lead by example in Government, giving all central government employees and annual volunteering leave entitlement. And to ensure voluntary groups get the funding they need, we would scrap the rules which prevent them from making a profit when working for the Government, creating a level playing field between voluntary sector and private providers.
3. Will you champion the Compact in your constituency, to encourage better partnership working between the local public sector and the voluntary and community sector?
Our approach to the third sector is driven by three priorities. Firstly, we will make it easier to run a charity or social enterprise. Secondly, we will increase the resources available to the sector by encouraging new social norms around giving and volunteering. Thirdly, we will make it easier for charities and social enterprises to do business with the State.
4. Additional comments:
Since publishing our voluntary sector Green Paper in 2008, we have set out a series of policies aimed at making it easier to run a charity or voluntary group, increasing the resources available to the sector, and making it easier for voluntary groups to do business.
Dr Brian Mathew
1. How important is the charity and voluntary sector to your constituency?
-- No Answer Provided --
2. What efforts will you make - if elected - to work with local charities and voluntary sector organisations in your constituency?
-- No Answer Provided --
3. Will you champion the Compact in your constituency, to encourage better partnership working between the local public sector and the voluntary and community sector?
-- No Answer Provided --
4. Additional comments:
-- No Answer Provided --
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